Global CEOs meet to disrupt in Cape Town

MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – THE prevailing theme of digital disruption will top the agenda when scores of business executives from around the world meet in Cape Town for the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF).

More than 800 delegates from over 365 companies from 40 countries will convene at the event set for Wednesday-Friday at the city’s International Convention centre.

The theme of this year’s summit, held for the first time in Africa, is ‘Seizing opportunities in the face of disruption.’

Delegates and speakers will span the entire consumer goods ecosystem including retailers, manufacturers, service providers and trade associations

This year the line-up of speakers included Coca Cola Company Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Muhtar Kent, Tesco CEO Dave Lewis and Daniel Zhang, CEO of Alibaba, as well as a a new generation of young entrepreneurs making waves of their own in the industry, including the CEO of Facebook Africa, Nunu Ntshingila and Affiong Williams, founder and CEO of ReelFruit.

Other speakers include Sir Martin Sorrell, Founder and CEO at WPP, Doug McMillon, CEO Wal-Mart Stores, François Pienaar, former captain of the South Africa Rugby team and Zelda La Grange, Former Private Secretary to the Office of the President Nelson Mandela.

Peter Freedman, Managing Director at the CGF, said, “All industries experience waves of disruption but the consumer goods industry is arguably going through more disruption right now than we have seen in a lifetime. Digital is perhaps the biggest disruption because it affects how we produce, buy, sell and communicate.”

The Global Summit, which has become the industry’s most significant annual event, celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.